Not to be nasty but, American humour is?

Question

sometimes a little dry compared to aussie/english humour, so when you see a show like "The Young Ones" or "Mr Bean", do you get it?

Lol, you're all making it very hard to pick a best answer! :-)

Answer 1

are you kidding! I grew up on Monty python, Benny hill was one of the most talented and funniest people ever. I love English humor. and Mr bean is funny.I have had the BBC channel for over 14 years. and i love English soccer,it use to be free! a player last name Hughes, i liked him, a good guy and a great person and sportsman and i hear he is a coach now? and when the french player got mad at the English and started hitting people in the crowd he blew it.! Ive been to England and Australia. even went to lord brockets estate does he still own it? i also loved capability brown's landscape work.

Answer 2

I like both British and American comedy. I'm afraid I haven't sampled enough Australian shows to form an opinion yet.

While there's no standard taxonomy of humor, I agree that British comedy is generally drier and more subtle than American comedy. That's not to say it's superior or inferior, merely different.

Personally I love League of Gentlemen and the original The Office (as well as the NBC version) but based on Frequency of Aloud Laughter (FAL) they perform, on average, the same as Scrubs or The State. Results from specific episodes vary.

In general the greatest difference I see between American and British approaches to comedy TV is modern American comedy is highly derivative/topical, whereas British humor always seems to bring it back to the basics of funny. The IT Crowd, for example, may have jokes and bits specific to computer culture but for the most part it's just the basic formula of funny that holds: when you mix the socially successful with social outcasts funny will ensue.

On the other shoe you have things like SNLs Weekend Update or the Colbert Report that are effing hilarious this week, but can not sustain funny as their topical targets age.

I don't know if you were wanting to compare British and American sitcoms or general philosophies of comedy, but there are a few of my vague opinions on the latter.

Answer 3

I love English humour. Mr. Bean, Eddie Izzard, Monty Python! It's all good. But there are many people who don't appreciate dry humor.

Answer 4

Really? I thought the opposite was true. I actually enjoy English humor a lot, and Mr. Bean was always one of my favorites. I also enjoy Monty Python and movies such as Shaun of the Dead. It seems like the humor is less broad than it is over here. Perhaps more witty.

Answer 5

I've seen The Young Ones and Mr. Bean. Both great examples of British wit, but to make such gross generalizations of any aspect of any peoples is just plain irresponsible.
British humor refined? Sure... just like Benny Hill.

Answer 6

American humor is usually Crude and Blatant. There is nothing like the obvious that would get an American laughing (for the most part)

British humor is often subtle, sarcastic, and clever. It takes a little thought, but rings true when you understand it's meaning.

As for being "DRY", it is a matter of understanding the point of reference for the humor. (I would think that if you didn't understand ANY kind of humor, it would ALL seem "dry")

Answer 7

MR Bean is funny as hell, Monty Python too...sometimes the accent makes it a little hard to understand

Answer 8

Oh, sure. I love Australian humor and English seems to be a little different. When I was in Perth I heard a little rhyming game that I didn't think was all that funny. But, generally, I love talking with Australians. They are a lot like us in Texas. Remember Dr. Who?

Answer 9

Monty Python's Flying Circus made me laugh so hard I couldn't breathe. The Ministry of Funny Walks was a scream.

Answer 10

that is so true, I'm an American that grew up on Monty Python, so i know that with British humor, there is more wit & smarts behind the humor, that could possibly explain why so many people don't get it. but with american humor has mor vulgarity to it. they both have thier advantages, & both have thier falts. it just depends on what mood you're in, & what you grew up on.

Answer 11

Lol. That's a good question. Brittish and US humour is so different. But i do think both are easy to "get". I think german humour is harder to get though.